Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 : The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Monday announced elections to 29 Municipal Corporations across the state, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Welcoming the decision, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said it was not appropriate for municipal bodies to operate under administrators for an extended period in a democratic system.
"I am very happy that the State Election Commission has announced the elections. We welcome this decision. In a democracy, it is not appropriate for a municipal corporation to be run by administrators for an extended period. We are confident that the people will give us a mandate after seeing our development work," Fadnavis said.
Speaking on seat-sharing and alliances, the Chief Minister said the ruling Mahayuti alliance is working to contest the elections together in most places across the state.
"We are trying to contest the elections as a Mahayuti, and the Mahayuti will be in place at most locations. In one or two places, there will also be an alliance between the NCP and the BJP," he added.
Referring specifically to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, Fadnavis said discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar have already taken place and indicated that both parties may contest separately in the region.
"Ajit Pawar and we cannot contest the elections together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Both of us understand politics well enough to know that if we contest together, it benefits a third party, and we do not want to allow that to happen. We will contest against each other, but it will be a friendly fight," he said.
Highlighting the BJP's development work in Pune, Fadnavis said voters may see the BJP and NCP contesting against each other in the city.
"The BJP has done development work in Pune in a very good manner. Even if the BJP and NCP contest against each other, it will be a friendly fight and there will be no bitterness between us," he said.
While speaking on the impact of the alliance between MNS Chief Raj Thackeray and Shivsena UBT led by Uddhav Thackeray in civic election CM Fadnavis said, These alliance won't affect us at all, people have seen our development work in Mumbai and the work done in the intrest of Marathi Manus will go in our favour ...we are confident that even Congress joins them it won't make any difference to us ..we will win the election with full mandate ...
The Chief Minister further stated that Shiv Sena will largely remain part of the alliance across most locations in the upcoming civic polls.
Elections to major civic bodies, including the BMC and PMC, will be held on 15 January and counting on Jan 16.